Serve these savory Puerto Rican
beans over white rice with a side of tostones and salad. What more
could you ask for?

Today it is so very easy
to make beans and in spite of the fact that we add a lot of ingredients
to our beans it is still easy and quick if you are using canned beans.

Begin by dicing and frying
the sausage (really any sausage will do) in a bit of oil. Then add
chopped onions and sofrito. Sofrito already has onions in it but I
like to take the pieces of onion too.
I like to use beef broth, which will deglaze the caldero nicely. Add
canned diced tomatoes (Italian style), olives and capers, canned diced
potatoes, Sazon, check for salt and you're done.

I also like to double my recipes so
that I can freeze some for later use (cook once for two meals).
It should take you about 30 minutes to prepare from beginning to
end. I remember my dad liked to see peppers and recao pieces in the
beans. Even if your sofrito already has those ingredients it is always
ok to add more, especially if you use store bought sofrito. Mami often
added bacon pieces to her beans, even if she included sausage. Just
follow your heart, but keep it Puerto Rican . . . .

Fry the sausage in oil in a medium caldero
for about 5 minutes or so. Add diced onion and cook that for a couple
of minutes, then add the sofrito and cook that for about 4 minutes
or so. Add the tomatoes, broth, potatoes, Sazón, olives, capers,
peppers, beans and water. Bring this to a boil then simmer for 15
- 20 minutes to combine and mix the flavors. If it's too thick add
a bit more water. It should have the consistency of habichuelas guisadas,
which is really what it is - using garbanzos instead.

While the beans are simmering prepare
white rice and tostones.

This is an inexpensive dish, perfect for a cover dish party. Keep
it warm in a crock-pot.